Things To Do In Jackson

Helmed by LPGA Class A instructor Kathy Hester, Mississippi’s OnTarget Golf Schools build smooth, dependable swings during six one-hour, weekly classes. The six-session program allows instructors to mold pupils’ form by breaking the swing down into its component parts, introducing sound techniques and allowing ample practice repetitions to commit concepts to muscle memory, where they will join riding a bicycle and swallowing oversize jawbreakers on command. Golf gurus also teach clubbers to hit practice shots with a target in mind, developing a subconscious association between their ball’s destination and the shot required to reach it. Clients can consult the schedule for upcoming classes. Online map directions might not be completely accurate, so customers should call ahead if they've never visited any of the courses before. Clubs will be available upon request.

Strike Entertainment charms clans with themed and open bowling in their 25,000-square-foot family fun center. Quartets commandeer one of twelve polished lanes, a hodgepodge of neon orbs, and palmfuls of pizza to fuel two hours of bowling amidst an outer space–themed backdrop bedecked in planets and rocket ships commuting in from Milky Way suburbs. Funky Monkey bowling sessions thrill tots with a goofy spin on traditional ten-pin knockout and fuzzy cameos from the facility's friendly banana-loving mascot. Friday and Saturday nights, bulbs bathe alleys in the royal-blue tones of blacklights during Mystic bowling hours, illuminating colorful bowling balls and whitening toothpastes used to keep pins unblemished.

There are few online reviews for the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, but more than 1,000 Facebookers like it.

The Russell C. Davis Planetarium transports patrons from the bottom of the ocean to the farthest reaches of the galaxy in a massive domed theater. Shows often replicate the night sky on a hemispheric screen, exploring nearby stars and planets as they appeared when viewed from different locations on Earth at various points in history. School groups can tour the facility with a program guide to learn about astronomy, physical science, and the likelihood of their ancestors being exceptionally good-looking space aliens. Large-format films portray the vast extremes of land and sea in natural-science documentaries, whereas occasional laser-light concerts pair contemporary tunes with vibrant beams of light and color.

Artist Melanie John's bright, colorful studio and retail shop surrounds visitors with her vibrant watercolor portraits and textured abstract paintings. Paintings, photos, and pottery also line the walls, inviting gazes to linger over aesthetically elegant pieces and check every design for hidden Magic Eye patterns. BYOB art classes help beginners and master palette wielders create their own masterpieces while sipping on toted-along beverages or purchasing tipples from the bar-licensed studio.

The state-of-the-art equipment, convenient amenities, and variety of exercise classes at Courthouse Racquet & Fitness's six locations earned the club several of Jackson Free Press's Urban Living awards in 2011 and 2012, including Best Fitness Center/Gym and Best Yoga Instructor. Visit the flagship Lakeland location to swim in a pool of professional athletic proportions. Explore the 13,000-square-foot Madison 51 facility's yoga, spin, and boot-camp classes or the Northeast center's indoor and outdoor tennis courts.

The newest location in Brandon boasts more than 100 treadmills, elliptical machines, rowers, and other pieces of cardio equipment. Women can take advantage of the Downtown site's ladies-only cardio area. Three locations offer childcare, and the Byram facility has launched an afterschool program, where kids can do arts and crafts and engage in healthy physical activities in an environment devoid of teddy-bear drill instructors.